Lions don't lose optimism

Despite being winless in eight games, Detroit sees some signs of life.

MICHAEL C. WRIGHT

So, let's get this straight.

Daunte Culpepper likely becomes Detroit's starter Sunday against the Jaguars after just three practices and a brief retirement in this latest twist in the Lions' musical-chairs situation at quarterback.

Meanwhile, 831 miles away in Jacksonville, the Jaguars are dealing with Mike Peterson-gate and a gaggle of other issues while hoping to avoid becoming the first team in NFL history to fall to 0-8 opponents in consecutive weeks.

Talk about teams with problems.

"I have a little thing on my wall. I show it to players. If you can see two fingers barely touching together, that's the difference between winning and losing in this league," Lions coach Rod Marinelli said.

So in the case of these two teams, perhaps sets of fingers snapping provide a better visual for what's happening.

The Jaguars rank 23rd on both offense and defense, and the Lions are 27th offensively and last in the 32-team league on defense.

Yet with the shared futility of these teams comes eternal optimism. Listening to Marinelli and star wide receiver Calvin Johnson speak, you get the impression Detroit is on the way up. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio doesn't paint the same rosy picture of his squad. But the optimism is there.

"I take my hat off to this team to the way they're working, and we're getting better. That's the thing I've been impressed with is we're improving each week," Marinelli said. "The record isn't showing it, but in terms of watching it on film, or what we're doing, how we're trying to do it, it's getting better."

In each of its last four outings, Detroit appeared to have a legitimate shot at victory. In fact, after being whipped by an average margin of 20.3 points in the first four games, the Lions have lost by 5.3 points per contest the last four weeks.

The Jaguars, meanwhile, own the distinction of being the league's only team to have every game this season decided by seven points or less, with their five losses coming by an average of 4.8 points.

"As we're sitting here with disappointment after a loss - and every game we have lost this year - there has been an opportunity," Del Rio said. "That's probably the thing that makes it the most difficult."

The Lions understand. Obviously, their fans don't.

Sunday's local television blackout in Detroit will be the team's second in a row after the Lions had sold out Ford Field 50 consecutive times.

Last week in Chicago, the Lions exploded for 23 points in the second quarter and entered the second half with a 23-13 lead over the Bears before eventually falling 27-23.

One of the league's most dangerous receivers, Johnson has scored in each of the past four games and is tied for second in the NFL with six touchdown receptions. Yet Johnson's efforts haven't helped the Lions make a jump into the win column.

"It was just a couple of plays here and there where we didn't execute," Johnson said. "Things just tend to go the other way."

The Jaguars appear to be well aware this week that things could go the Lions' way for a change. That's why they're not taking Detroit likely, less than one week removed from losing to the previously winless Cincinnati Bengals.

In the wake of that defeat, Del Rio instituted new rules, sent Peterson home for insubordination and relocated several players to new lockers. Del Rio also banned domino and card games, along with most electronics, from the locker room.

Several players called the moves a message from Del Rio about the severity of the Jaguars' present plight.

"Wins cure everything," quarterback David Garrard said. "Getting a win this weekend is going to cure a lot of sadness."